By Halimah Olamide
A foreign organisation, the International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW), has written to Governor Hope Uzodima of Imo state demanding explanations what led to the brutal attacks on the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero.
Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the Imo state capital on Wednesday where he had gone to mobilise members of the NLC for a protest.
A Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, Nwaneri Chinasa, was accused of leading some pro-government thugs to attack Ajaero and some others shortly before the protest took off.
The letter was copied to the Director General of the International Labour Organisation, Gilbert Houngbo. Clement Voule, Special Rappourteur Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association of the United Nations.
A copy of the letter was also addressed to Nigeria’s Attorney and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN.
However, Ajaero who was subsequently released after being held for more than 6 hours, as he suffered serious injuries as a result of the violent assault is now being treated at an hospital.
According to the statement signed by the Chairman of the group, Jeffrey Vogt, the violent dispersal of peacefully demonstrating workers and the assault and detention of President Ajaero are in direct violation of Nigeria’s international legal obligations (and its own laws).
“We note that Nigeria has ratified Conventions 87 and 98 of the International Labour Organisation, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR? and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
“All of these instruments protect the fundamental right to freedom of association and peaceful assembly and require States to guarantee their free exercise. Further, none of the very specific and limited instances where authorities may use force apply here.
“The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association (CA) has repeatedly found that the rights of workers and employers organizations can only be exercised in a climate that is free from violence, pressure or threats of any kind against the leaders and members of these organizations, and it is for governments to ensure that this principle is respected.”
The statement further stated; “The violent and illegal detention of President Ajaero is also in direct contravention of Nigeria’s obligations.
“The CF has repeatedly found that the arrest of a union leader for exercising legitimate activities in relation to freedom of association, in this case meeting with union members and surveying the damage of the violent police action, is a violation of that country’s obligations of freedom of association.
The unlawful temporary detention of President Ajaero constitutes a serious obstacle to the exercise of trade union rights, and is in violation of ILO Convention 87 and 98.
The International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW) Network comprises of over 1.100 workers’ rights lawyers and scholars in over 90 countries, including in Nigeria.